Happy New Year, my dear readers.  Can you believe that it has been an entire year since I’ve written a blog?  (Well the truth is, the last one was written December 27, 2011).   I did promise I was going to have a new Dallas J. Logan website and the designers at Ashay Media Group (www.ashay.com) did just that.   Some may ask “an entire year?”  Well in my case, yes, it took a year.

Being an ever-evolving artist, Ashay took me by the hand and led me down the path of true identity branding.  They made me understand not only Dallas J. Logan the photographer, but the brand itself.  Be it the teacher, the e-commerce, the lecturer or the artist.  They wanted to create a complete user-friendly environment that was pleasurable for the viewer.  The final product is an amalgamation of ideas, thoughts, concerns and lastly about 7 – 8 website designs later.   It was funny actually, every time I said “Oh my God, I love it!”  A week later they was showing me something different.  Only to reply with this: “you’re much bigger than this website.  Back to the drawing board.”  To say that I am happy would definitely be an understatement.

Some asked why a new website?  The last one functioned satisfactorily.  Yes, that is true, and the web designers at Pixel8 did an amazing job.  They were able to grasp the artist I was 6-7 years ago and my work, life and spirit changed drastically over the past decade to the artist I am today.  The previous Dallas J. Logan website showcased the artist I was then.  I wasn’t teaching photographers how to understand light (Light Is Light) nor was I teaching models how to be better at their performance in front of the camera (Model Bootcamp), nor was I blogging (Dallas Speaks) 0therefore, I had to encompass all of these items in the new site all in one location so the viewer didn’t have to go all over the internet to find me.  They consolidated a lot of my essence into one centralized location.

Another important factor to this site was simple.  I’ve grown up as a person and an artist, and I needed a new website to reflect that.

Moving on, there are sooooooo many things that I want to write about, but if I did, this blog would go on into eternity, so I will touch on a few things that happened in the past year, and what is on my horizon.

I’ve discussed in the past that I wanted to take the plunge into videography.  I am proud to say that I am officially a video director and my first project was New York vocalist Shamar Forte music video “Bright Lights.”  I will go into further detail in a future blog.

My best friend and mentor Michael Maddox (www.michaelmaddoxseminars.com, www.michaelmaddoxblog.com, www.dearmichaelmaddox.com, www.michaelmaddoxrunway.com, www.myspace.com/michaelmaddoxrunway, www.twitter.com/MICHAEL__MADDOX ) has took the plunge and officially opened up his own modeling agency Michael Maddox Development House and he has allowed me to help groom some of the most amazing talent on the planet into international super stars.  Some of the models that have graced my camera are now gracing some of the runways around the world, working in commercials, films and videos.  I am grateful that he has allowed me to help him do so, and in the interim build the courage in me for me to pursue my dream.

Lastly, the Light Is Light brand is finally cementing and taking off hence the true reason for this blog.

In November 2012, New York City was hit with one of the worse hurricanes in decades (they [the weather gods that be] decided not to call it a “hurricane” but a “super-storm”), and Hurricane Sandy was upon us.  My seminar was scheduled one week after the devastation and I feared the worse.  I recently moved into a new studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (West Street Studios), and it is a waterfront location.  The entire lobby of my studio was completely flooded and there was no electricity in the area nor was there any mass transit available in the area.  That night I sat in front of my computer composing what would be my refund email, because I thought there wasn’t going to be a Light Is Light.

God had different plans.  The waters quickly receded.  Electricity was restored to the neighborhood.  Airlines were up and running in a few days (New Yorkers are very resourceful people) and everyone by hook or by crook was going to make it to the studio.  One participant actually said “as long as I can get into the city, I will WALK to Brooklyn.”  I am venturing to say she didn’t walk, however, she was there (thank you Tamara for coming) and all of the other participants.  I even had a photographer fly in from the Bahamas.

Here is where the story took an amazing turn:
One photographer in particular (Jackie Hicks of the DC area www.jhicks1-fondmemories.com) asked would I ever consider bringing Light Is Light to DMV area.  Without making a long story longer on the reasons why I said no, she ventured to say “what would it take to get you down there.”  I flippantly said “I would need a minimum of 10 people for this project to be cost effective.”  Her reply, smooth as a cucumber:  “I got you.”  I did my usual “look at the audience” gesture and retorted: “yeah you do that.”  Needless to say, the seminar continued.    My seminar is always on a Saturday and by that following Wednesday, I already had 7 people signed up for a class that I didn’t even have a date for.  This was the power of God at hand.

Fast forward, now that the project has taken off, I am arranging with Jackie all the necessities of bringing this project to her town.  Logistics, travel, lodging for me and my assistants, etc.  I asked her what was her rate so I can start constructing a budget and she replied “I’m not charging you anything.  I just need to you get here and do this.”  Did you see what I just typed?  “I just need you to get here and do this.”  I was struck dumb because I didn’t expect anything like this.  Not only did she allow me to use her studio, she welcomed not only me, but 3 assistants into her home.  She fed us as well as the Light Is Light participants and understand something, prior to the previous Light Is Light, I was an absolute stranger to her.  God does put amazing people on this planet and every now and then if you look real close, He will allow you to spot one.  I did.  Her name is Jackie Hicks and because of her I had one of the most amazing seminars to date.

Well, dear readers.  I think I’ve bored you enough.  But I am here to let you know.  Dallas the Blogger is back and I am on the scene once again.  I will be blogging much more regularly now and take your time and view the site.  It is still in the infant stages and there will be more to come.

Thank you for witnessing my evolution and thank you for viewing the artist that I am today.

Remember…  Light Is Light.